Sunnis and Sadr's Shiites make peace

News.com.au Sunday Times ^ | February 26, 2006

[WSGilcrest]

Ape has killed ape!

[McGavin999]

One of the reasons the Hawzah saved his bacon is because they don't want the fate of a cleric in the hands of the government. It was also out of respect for the high regard many have for the man's Grandfather. Because Sadar's father was killed by Saddam, they also feel something of a responsibility for Sadar.

Sadar City is not named for little Mooky, it's named for his Grandfather who was a Shiia Grand Ayatollah.

[bnelson44]

What evidence do you have for this?

[Marine_Uncle]

Understood and fully agree. The kid is just living off the old man's rep. And Sistani has probably been responsible for him all along. But hopefully tough love will prevail. Until he proves otherwise, I continue to think Sistani is to be trusted, perhaps more so then most of the political figures that in some cases we have worked with.
He hated Saddams rule over Iraqi. He knew Saddam for what he was, and at the same time he left Iran to get away from that crowd. And he has said Iraq needs a secular government for all the peoples. What more can we ask for. If he probably would not even sit on the Supreme Religious Council that will be their Supreme Court, only an advisor. Of course I don't wear rose colored glass. I realize he welds great power amoung the Shia. And could have alternate plans. But he just may be a wise old man that wants peace in his country and a better living standard for them all. After all the shia have much to benifit from a thriving economical standpoint. Tyey where the most poor in many provinces.

[McGavin999]

I've been reading the Iraqi blogs every day since November 2003. We got first hand information at the time it was happening from a young religious Shiia who was blogging at the time.

Around that same time Al Sistani sent a strongly worded letter to the head of Hizbollah telling him to, in effect, but OUT. Hizbollah was beginning to send fighters in to help Sadar when he was fighting the US in Najef.

BTW, that same blogger told us that the letter was unprecidented and that is why Nasralleh, who was starting to rabble rouse about the US "occupation", immediately backed off.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

[spokeshave]

"The crowd chanted 'Not Sunni Not Shiite...one one national unity.'

"Iraqis form local Shiite committees to protect Sunni Mosques in Basra and the south."

Lets hope the new Sunni-Shiite coalition also stands guard on the oil refineries and pipelines.

[bybybill]

How is this a bad thing?

[bybybill]

Bush refused to kill Al Sadr? Must have missed that. What saloon did you hear about that?

[eyespysomething]

LOL, it would be a great "Caption this" picture!

[beyond the sea]

This could go really bad for Zarqawi

This also could go badly for the leaping liberals in the lame/lefty media and in government who are not so secretly wishing for civil war.

[spokeshave]

Sunni or later Shiite happens

[LZ_Bayonet]

"Option #5 for Sadr: He can blow up the golden Mosque, cause mahem, play the peace-maker and position self to be head Iman when Sistani somehow gets himself killed. As head Iman, when the Americans leave, he becomes the grand poobah and ruling head of the new Iraq."

I think you've read his playbook; nice analysis. The Sunni clerics apparently think (hope?) they are buying some insurance. Wishful thinking - they should rent "The Godfather" series. At most these Sunni clerics would end up acting as "Judas goats" for a Mookie government, until they become disposable. Then it's time for the ride in the country - "Leave the gun, take the halaqeem"!

[sasha123]

I am unsure which news they are watching, but I am yet to see it. Just today there was more bombings & killings. They will never have peace between the two sectors - they've been at it longer than we've been a nation.

[Sam the Sham]

Yes, Sistani wants us to continue doing his dirty work for him.

[CyberAnt]

Oh darn .. guess the dems' wish for a civil war are dashed against the rocks. Tsk tsk!

[Fred Nerks]

A majority also want the US and allies out of there yesterday. ------------------------------

And all over US occupied territory in Germany after WW2, the signs appeared almost immediately:

YANKEE GO HOME!

But the US still has bases there to this day. Let the Marxist-Iraqi's/and/or/muslims get used to it.

[dervish]

Yes. Along with not levelling Fallujah.

[SirLinksalot]

Note to Sunnis : Any group with Moqtada al-Sadr should not be trusted. WATCH YOU BACKS !

[fight_truth_decay]

This is an update of the situation in Baghdad as of Saturday, February 25, 2006

Iraqi clergymen, Shiites and Sunnis, have met in a mosque in Baghdad and decided to contribute to ending the crisis that followed bombing one of Islam’s holiest sites, the shrine of Imam Ali al-Hadi and hasan al-Askari in the city of Samarra north of Baghdad.

What was amazing about it is the unity they showed on TV. Above is a picture of clergymen. The one leading the prayers and circled by a black line is sheikh Abdul Salam al-Kubaisi, spokesman and main preacher in the Association of Muslim Scholars, which is the supreme Sunni religious authority in Iraq. In the picture, Kubaisi is shown leading the prayers and all the clergies behind him are Shiites from Sadr trend. This is the first time I see this. I’ve never seen a Sunni clergyman leading Shiite prayers. You could see the main difference between Sunni and Shiite Islam. Notice the way the Sunni stands [joining hands on the abdomen] and the Shiites standing with hands loose on the sides.

This is a huge encouragement to Iraqis and a huge defeat also for those who predicted a wide civil war in Iraq. Civil war started for real three days ago, but I don’t think there will be anymore. Not if Iraqis saw the picture above. Lets just hope that Iraqis had electricity to power TVs at homes and see what is happening!

[Note: The event was shown on Jazeera satellite channel]

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